Illness of the Heart
by Demivolte
Summary: Sickly since a young age, Shuichi Minamino always seems to get into trouble. When he presses his luck and gets sent to the hospital again, will it be a good or a bad thing? As soon as he meets Hiei Jaganshi, a mysterious visitor, he can't help but wonder.


**Illness of the Heart**

Prologue

"Hello? Ah. Good morning, Mother. Yes, I saw your note. It's alright, really. I'm capable of walking. Yes…I'll be careful. Don't worry. I promise I'll be fine. I'll be fine walking home too. You worry yourself too much, Mother. Maybe I can get Yusuke to accompany me. I'll ask, so don't dwell on it too much. Ok? I love you too. Goodbye." Shuichi Minamino placed the cordless phone back on its charger and sighed. His hand slid easily through his long, fiery red hair as he'd already brushed it.

His mother had to go in to work early, leaving Shuichi to walk to school. The school he attended was a while from his house; farther from the one he'd started off at. This was because his mother had requested he go elsewhere for schooling. Not because of a poor system or teachers, but because the boy had friends at the farther building. Now, it wasn't like he couldn't easily make new ones. These were just special because they knew about the boy's poor health and Shiori, Shuichi's mother, trusted them to help out her son in any of his times of need. This was usually helpful but now it was just a pain in Shuichi's side.

But he wouldn't complain. Oh, no. He had no room to. Shiori was always out working so hard for him. He had so many expenses after all. He ended up in the hospital quite a bit…

"I'll be late if I wait any longer…" He murmured, lifting up his backpack with trembling pale fingers. He always got like this in the mornings. His muscles and bones took a while to strengthen after sleep and even then he would tremble on occasion when he over-worked them. He was used to it by now though.

Not wanting to be late, the boy slid his bag upon his back and headed for the door, grabbing the keys and turning off lights as he did so. He cast the clock a brief glance before finally leaving his mother's apartment.

**-.-.-.-.-**

"Hiei Jaganshi?" A small boy with dark ebony hair glanced up, his blood-red eyes set in a glare. "What is it?" He snapped. Just a doctor, but he didn't care. He never trusted those fools and he saw too many of them to begin with. Actually…he saw the color white a bit too much all together. That was probably why he preferred its counterpart.

The doctor smiled despite Hiei's rude comment. "Your sister is awake, if you'd like to go visit her." Rather than answer with another rude comment, the small teenager stood from his spot at the wall and all but ran to his twin sister's room.

She was often sick and had to stay in the hospital on a regular basis. Hiei and his sister Yukina were orphans, but they'd been left a large inheritance, which was why Yukina was able to get medical treatment. It was a relief to Hiei, who was young and already had so much to do. Taking care of your sick little sister was no walk in the park, especially when you technically still had to go to school.

This time, she was there because she fainted while in class. Hiei had gotten a call while in his own class and had promptly ditched the rest of his classes to see her. He was smarter than everyone else anyway. A few missed classes wouldn't hurt.

"Yukina," He whispered as he entered the room, his eyes immediately falling upon his sister's small form.

She glanced up from her book and smiled at the sight of her twin. She didn't look too bad this time, but Hiei wasn't willing to make assumptions just based on looks alone. Still, she calmed many of his fears when she opened her mouth to speak. "Hiei! You really shouldn't be here…what about school?"

"Fuck school!" He all but growled as he grabbed a stiff chair and hauled it to her bedside. Yukina shook her head and closed her eyes at his comment.

"Cursing isn't good, brother. You know I don't approve of it…" Seeing his sister's face fall in disappointment fixed Hiei's attitude quickly.

"Sorry," He murmured, basically promising not to do it again. That caused his sister's face to brighten. This, in turn, cheered up the fiery teen. Yukina was all that he lived for, after all. Seeing her sad and disappointed put him in low spirits, but seeing her well and happy caused just the opposite.

"So, what happened this time?" He asked after a moment, the silence finally getting to even him, who loved to have as much quiet time as he could get. Yukina seemed unfazed by it though.

"It was nothing too serious this time, Hiei. I just collapsed when in History. Calm down though…the doctor said there was nothing to worry about, and I didn't hit my head on any desks this time." A small smile graced her features at that when she recalled the incident. She'd been bedridden and fussed over for weeks because of the head injury.

"Really though, brother, don't worry so much! I'm fine!" Hiei sighed and gazed into his sister's soft red eyes. The smile on her face calmed him even more, and he allowed himself to lean against the mattress, his now folded arms propping his weary body up.

"If they didn't start the school so early in the morning, you probably wouldn't have fainted. All the other schools haven't even started yet, and here you are," Hiei grumbled, gazing out through the window on the opposite wall with irritation in his eyes. As far as he saw it, none of this was Yukina's fault. It was either because of the schools, or because the doctors didn't do a good enough job. It was never because Yukina was sick. No. He would never voice it. He just couldn't admit to himself of anyone else that his poor little sister would forever be sent to hospitals because of something she couldn't control.

"Don't go on about that anymore. I'm tired, Hiei, so I think I'm going to take a nap. Why don't you go back to school? You haven't missed a full period yet, so you can make it back and not fall back again. Plus, I need you to get me my homework." That was how Yukina got her brother to go back. She would ask him in the sweetest, most tempting voice she could possibly make and ask him to go back to get her her work so she wouldn't fall behind. That way she knew he would at least be in the building.

"Fine." And with that, the little black-haired teen was on his way back to school.

**-.-.-.-.-**

It hurt…

The feeling in his chest was unbearable; it felt as if his lungs were being crushed by a strong fist. His mouth opened and closed but no air was let in. Tears of pain and desperation sprung to his eyes.

No use! Can't breathe!

The fist was tightening yet again…too much. Too much! Hurts…It hurts!

A screech of tires, a loud yell. Gasps of shock and cries of horror.

"Watch out!" Shuichi brought his head up, one hand clawing at his seemingly useless throat as his tear-blurred eyes gazed in the direction of the screech and the too-loud honk. He barely had any time to think before a blinding light filled his eyes and pain racked his already desperate form.

Not even a moment later did the darkness decide to grab at him greedily and pull him away from the new, invading light.

**-.-.-.-.-**

**A/N:** It has been so long since I wrote anything! And here I am with a new story. I hope I can keep this one going. YYH rocks! Go Kurama/Hiei! Sorry my prologue is so short. The chapters shall get longer.


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